Nah, she didn't
by gillyweedeater
Summary: This is the story of how the kind-hearted Lily Evans fell in love with the mischievous James Potter in the midst of the first Wizarding War, guest starring some of your favorite Marauders' Era characters. (This story will follow the books as much as humanly possible, so for anyone who feels that can't find a story that follows canon this is for you!) Over 2,100 hits so far!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything Harry Potter.

 ***This takes place at the end of sixth year***

 _May 13th, 1976_

It had been almost an entire year since Severus Snape had called Lily Evans 'that word', as many people called it to spare her feelings as though just the mention of it would cause her to burst into tears. He had approached her or rather _attempted_ to approach her on several instances following that day to apologize for his hurtful words and she did not forgive him. But she wanted to, every part of her wanted her dear friend back, the one that accepted her before anyone else and introduced her to the magical world. She couldn't forgive him despite her longing, he was not that person anymore as much as she wished he would be.

She still found her ears perking up whenever he was mentioned or her eyes springing towards him when he'd walk by, hoping that one day she would hear something that would change her opinion on him or notice something that told her that all her fears were unfounded. On this day in particular she had heard something concerning, something that made her stomach churn and rumble uncomfortably in ways that it hadn't since that day last year.

"You don't think it's true… do you?" She whispers, her emerald eyes swimming with worry. She looks around for what must be the hundredth time to check that they have no eavesdroppers, the library is fairly full as exams are approaching (much to Lily's dismay). The beautiful Dorcas Meadowes and her fan club were seated a few tables away, Regulus Black's lonesome figure could be seen popping in and out of bookshelves every so often, and James Potter and his friends were in the opposite corner safely out of earshot. She sits with her closest friends: Marlene and Alice, far away from the prying eyes of Madam Pince.

"Yes, actually I do." Marlene quips impatiently after the fourth time she's been asked the question. Alice looks at her with a reproachful expression but adds lightly, "I know it's not what you want to hear but I agree with Marlene, he seems to have chosen his path and I don't think you stressing yourself over it is going to change anything."

"I just need to know for sure. I don't think I can go on wondering." Lily mumbles quietly. "Well, it's not like you can ask him. He'd never tell you the truth and even if he did, I'm not sure it's what you want to hear." Alice murmurs, fingernails tapping the pages of the book before her gently. "Yeah, what are you going to do? Spy on him or something?" Marlene scoffs leaning back and pushing the front two legs of her chair off the ground.

Lily's eyes spark at that idea and Marlene shoots her an incredulous look. "That wasn't a suggestion!" She hisses. "Don't even get that into your head, Lily. It's not a smart idea to spy on Snape with his Death Eater cronies." Alice adds frantically, naturally anxious for Lily's well-being.

"Wait," Marlene pipes up, her eyes distant like she's figuring something out. "You might just be able to do it. That is, if you enlist some help." This takes Lily by surprise and she waves her hand urgently for her to continue. "I know someone who seems to be everywhere but nowhere all at once." She draws out dramatically like the narrator for a movie trailer. "Someone who would do anything for you." Lily's eyes darken at this, now she's caught on. "James Potter is right over there, ask for his help."

"Even if I wanted to do that, he hates Snape. He'd never agree to it." Lily hedges but Alice shakes her head. "I don't think he'd tell you no, Lily. You should at least ask if you feel you really have to do this."

Lily bites her lip as she considers the idea. She wishes she could just ask Remus but he hasn't been in class all day. Potter really hadn't been bad that year though, for the most part he'd given her distance aside from the few comments he didn't seem to have any control over. Something seemed to change over the summer, he even wrote her an apology letter. A letter that she still has in her desk drawer at home. It boiled down to the fact that she _needed_ to know what was going on with Severus, even if it meant asking Potter for help.

"I think I will ask." She nods her head decidedly and raises herself from her chair. She marches up to their table before she can lose her nerve. Potter, Black, and Pettigrew seem to all be hunched over a large piece of parchment when she approaches. Peter frantically taps James on the shoulder mumbling "Prongs" several times over and he manages to shove the offending parchment under a book before smiling at her in greeting.

"All right there, Evans?" He says, ruffling his hair.

"Actually, I wanted a word. Do you think we could…?" She trails off, gesturing to behind a nearby bookcase.

"If you want to snog him, Evans you might as well do it in front of us. He won't get the same satisfaction if you don't." Sirius smirks and James ignores him, standing from the table and following her away.

"Sorry about Sirius." He mumbles when she stops far enough away that no one can hear them. She waves him off restlessly.

"I need a favor, Potter—"

"Yes." He interrupts eagerly and she has to fight a smile. "Okay, but you already agreed so you can't back out." She warns him and this time he waves her off.

"You're not going to like it…" She starts, suddenly nervous and his thick eyebrows furrow in confusion. She sighs and forces herself to go on, she's a big girl. "I heard Sev—Snape telling his creepy friends that he would discuss… he made it sound like they were discussing something dark tonight at eleven in the Slytherin common room and I need to hear what they're going to say." When she meets his hazel eyes, she finds an anger there she's not accustomed to.

"No." He says and he makes to turn away but she grabs his forearm desperately. "I don't want to and even if I did, I can't tonight." He tells her as tenderly as he can through his irritation. "I need to know." She pushes, her voice almost a whimper. He shakes his head. "No, Evans, you don't. I could tell you what they're going to say right now, no sneaking around necessary." He starts to walk away when so quietly he almost isn't sure he actually hears it she mutters, "Please, James. You promised."

"Meet me in my dorm at 10:30." He tells her over his shoulder, despite the voice in his head that tells him not to and rejoins his friends.

* * *

Lily drags her feet as she ascends the staircase to the boys' dormitories, apprehensive that this night will permanently slander her opinion of Severus. It's not hard to find their dormitory, she knocks hesitantly and pushes it open when she hears a muffled "come in". She finds James sitting beside the window and he smiles slightly when he sees her.

"Pity, I finally get you in my dorm and Sirius isn't here to make lewd comments about it." She laughs despite herself before he catches her in an intense gaze. "I need you to promise that what happens tonight, well anything concerning me, stays between you and I. Or I'll have to break my promise." She nods immediately, ready to agree to almost anything at this point.

"Good," He says before reaching into his trunk and pulling out a silvery bundle. "This is an invisibility cloak. We'll sneak into their common room and they'll be none the wiser but you can't make any noise or else they'll hear us." She nods her head agreeably. Slightly dazed at the prospect of an invisibility cloak, she should've known that James would have something of the sort. It explains so much.

"Are you sure _you'll_ be able to keep quiet?" She asks him wryly, ignoring the constant twisting of her stomach. He chuckles at that and throws the cloak around him causing every part of his body to disappear save for his head. "It'll be tight." He warns her and snaps his head slightly back to indicate that she should join him underneath.

He's right, it is a tight fit. She's nestled into his front, his long arms raised to keep the cloak from dropping on her face. It's difficult but they make it down the staircase and out the portrait hole undetected by the group of seventh years huddled around the fire. "Do you know where their common room is?" She asks, suddenly wondering if he was prepared or if he was just hoping to get lucky. "Of course, I know where their common room is." He snorts and proceeds to step onto the back heel of her shoes, muttering a vague apology.

He nudges her in the direction of the dungeons and she can't really remember how they got there but they find themselves behind a stone wall. They stop momentarily and she feels him rustling some sort of parchment behind her and muttering incoherently. He tells her they have to wait a moment and then after what seems to be a few minutes he mutters something unintelligible again. "The common room is empty now." He assures her and then utters the Slytherin password: "knotgrass". She wants to ask him how he knows the common room is empty or how he knows the password but as she's hurried into the Slytherin dungeons she thinks that might be a question for a different time.

They pick a corner to the side of the couches and they wait patiently for the offending Slytherins to enter. It doesn't take long. Snape comes in first, taking a seat on one of the couches and pulling his potions book out. He's flipping through the pages idly when Mulciber and Avery emerge from their dormitories.

Avery speaks first. "Do you think we can trust him?" Snape scrunches his nose in concentration as though he's solving world hunger. "I think we can. He seems eager but for the right reasons, I don't think he'll betray _him._ In fact, I think he'd be a powerful ally." Who are they talking about?

"What makes you say that?" Mulciber asks, picking at his fingernails.

"He comes from good blood. His family has resources that other families do not and unlike other families they will support him, even praise him for his decision." Mulciber and Avery consider his words for a moment. "Yes, but I don't think that when the Dark Lord asked us to recruit for him that he had wizards younger than us in mind." Mulciber says his eyes no longer trained on his fat fingers, he sits up a little straighter and pays closer attention.

"But Regulus Black would be the eyes inside Hogwarts. He could give us details on Dumbledore's plans and his recruits. It would be invaluable." Snape says. Lily can feel James stiffen at the mention of his best mate's brother and almost on its own accord, her small hand envelopes his. He doesn't respond immediately but after a moment he squeezes her hand back.

"Do you really think that this is what's going to earn you a dark mark? Suggesting Regulus Black as a spy inside Hogwarts?" Avery asks unsure. _Oh,_ Lily thinks to herself in horror, _this is some sort of Death Eater initiation._

"I do. The Dark Lord fears Dumbledore, he will naturally want someone snooping around the school." Mulciber shrugs at his reasoning. "It might just work, we'll suggest it to some of his inner circle and see where it leads us and with any luck this time next year we'll be a part of that circle." He sneers.

Lily feels a single tear drop from her eye as she observes her once best friend climbing the staircase to his dormitory. She thinks that maybe James and her friends were right, maybe she didn't want to hear this. But at least now she knows where his loyalties lie, at least now she knows she made the right choice.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, I didn't expect that you would hear those things about Sirius' brother. I'm sure this puts you in an awkward position." She tells him, her voice still a bit shaky from the information they'd just uncovered. Snape and his friends were on track to become Death Eaters when they left Hogwarts and they planned on taking Regulus down with them.

They walk along the corridor, the invisibility cloak now removed and their hands still clasped together tightly. She notices that James repeatedly looks through the windows as they pass and seems to be deep in thought.

"I'm sorry too, Evans. Are you okay?" He asks, searching her bright green eyes only to find them swimming with fresh tears. He drops her hand suddenly and envelopes her in a warm embrace, weaving his hand in her thick dark-red hair, holding her fiercely against him. She doesn't know how long they stand there wrapped in one another's arms but it seems like eternity.

"I know what you need." He says pulling away and shooting her a mischievous smirk that worries her.

"Oh and what is it that I need, Potter?" She plays along.

"Comfort food."

* * *

Lily finds herself sitting beside him in the kitchens, being served dutifully by an old house elf. She brings James an entire treacle tart and Lily a platter of pumpkin pasties. The house elf also left them cauldron cakes, ice cream, and a large array of chocolate sweets. There is too much food but neither one of them has the heart to tell the house elf to stop bringing it because she seems so happy to have company.

"I guess it just confirmed what I already knew." Lily sighs sullenly, picking at her pumpkin pasty. James is already half way through his own dessert and looks at her progress disapprovingly.

"Let's talk about something else, shall we?" He suggests. "What do you want to do when you leave Hogwarts?"

Lily thinks for a moment before deciding it would be all right to share this information with him. "Well, I always wanted to be a healer. I do quite well in charms and potions so I feel it would be a nice fit. However, recently I've been thinking about possibly becoming an Auror. With everything that's been going on, I think I'd like to fight." She says more firmly than he expects. He likes this side of her, the passionate one. That's why he became so enamored with her in the first place, she's exquisite when speaks about something she cares for.

"And yourself?" She prompts.

"I think I'd like to be an Auror too, maybe a quidditch player." He shrugs and she nods.

"Do you think it's true what they said? About Dumbledore recruiting people, do you think he's starting a resistance?" She asks. James thinks for a moment, this had been on his mind since they overheard it as well.

Finally he shrugs. "I'd believe it, guess we'll have to wait and see to know for sure."

She's about to respond when something mushy collides with her cheek. James Potter just threw a pumpkin pasty at her! How dare he? She takes a deliberate handful of his treacle tart and makes to throw it at him but he bolts from his seat. She hits him square in the back, splattering his black robes.

"Oh you think you can play with the big dogs do you, Evans?" He laughs and a full-fledged war begins. Cakes and ice cream fly through the air, pie crust somehow wedges it way into Lily's bra, and James' glasses seem to be permanently coated in chocolate mousse.

When they return to the common room, laughing and covered from head-to-toe in sweets they collapse onto the couch beside each other. Without thinking Lily leans her head against his shoulder and lulls into a peaceful slumber. James jumps slightly when he hears a faint howl coming from the grounds outside but decides that just this once, he'll stay with his new friend and rests his head atop hers before he lets sleep take him.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope that you enjoyed it! Please, please review and let me know if you would like to see more and I'd be happy to continue! I always feel like the fics I read aren't as close to the books as I would like so I decided to write my take on what I know of Lily and James' story.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything Harry Potter.

 _End of May, 1976_

It was one of those things that people gossiped about on their way to Transfiguration or over lunch in the Great Hall: "Lily Evans and James Potter are… friends?"

"Yeah, I saw them studying in the common room together last night."

"And she didn't hex him?"

"No, not once! I even heard her laughing at one point."

Lily Evans and her friends were settling in for a late night Astronomy lesson, taking seats beside each other. Lily tried not to laugh at Marlene's huffing form that resulted from their hike up to the Astronomy Tower, she always did have a bit of a temper (one that rivaled even Lily's, which was impressive in its own right).

"I think they're talking about you again." Alice murmurs, pointing to a group of Ravenclaws seated opposite them. Their heads were bent low in discussion but every so often a pair of eyes would wander to Lily before snapping away quickly once more.

Lily sighs and shakes her head absently, there was bound to be talk of her and Potter's newfound tolerance for each other. Some might even call it friendship. "I wish they'd find something better to talk about." She mutters sourly, knowing that they'd do no such thing.

"It won't last much longer, Lils. I heard a rather interesting tidbit over dinner this evening that I'm sure will steal the spotlight." Marlene chuckles quietly and Lily regards her with furrowed brows. "How? I was sitting right next you all through dinner."

"Sorry, heard isn't the right word—no I _saw_ an interesting exchange occur before dessert was even served. Well, it's not as though he really _missed_ dessert as I'd imagine—"

"Out with it already!" Alice hisses impatiently.

"I saw Sirius Black and Dorcas Meadowes leaving the Great Hall at the exact same time!" She whispers scandalously. Lily's expression was one of boredom. "Really? That's the big news? Did it occur to you maybe they both had somewhere to be?"

"Yes! In a broom closet shagging each other!" Marlene urges insistently. "That's not what I meant and you know it!" Lily groans at her, desperately pushing unwanted thoughts of Sirius Black and Dorcas Meadowes doing the nasty out of her brain.

"Ladies, if you don't mind I have a lesson to start." The Professor barks and begins her lecture. "I don't know why I took this class." Marlene grumbles under her breath bitterly, shooting Alice an annoyed look. Lily and Marlene had begrudgingly agreed to take on the extra class after hours of begging on Alice's part. When she had discovered that the sixth and seventh years shared an Astronomy class, (due to lack of interest in the subject…) she demanded they take it with her so she could share a class with Frank Longbottom but as she never spoke to Frank, (apart from the long conversations they held in her head) this irritated both Lily and Marlene greatly.

"Hush, I'd have done it for you." Alice snaps quietly before continuing. "Back to Dorcas, she's a Slytherin. There's no way Black would go for her, you know how his little group feels about those snakes."

"That's why everyone's going to be talking about it soon enough." She insists. Lily notices the group of Ravenclaws scribbling notes to one another, taking turns to glance at her again. She bites her lip, unsure of what exactly they're saying of her and feeling self-conscious because odds are they're not saying good things.

"Don't worry, Lily. It'll blow over soon." Alice reassures her gently.

* * *

Lily awoke the next morning to an incessant banging in her dorm, she opens her eyes groggily to find Mary Macdonald fluttering about the room rather frantically. "Are you… looking for something?" She groans, wanting to care about whatever it is she lost but unable to find her compassion at the early hour.

"My necklace! It's gone! How could it be gone? It can't be, it's not possible." Mary squeaks fretfully, never halting in her search. Lily reacts at this news, understanding her concern. She is, of course, referring to the necklace that had been passed down for generations in her family. Lily starts to turn over the room with her, peering under her mattress or behind her trunk but coming up empty handed.

"Have you tried summoning it?" Lily asks her hopefully.

"I tried but it's no use, it's enchanted with old magic. " She responds, her eyes ever scanning the room.

"Whasgoinon?" Alice slurs, muffled by the fabric of her pillow.

"Mary's lost her necklace." Lily tells her gently, trying not to stir Marlene for fear of meeting her infamous wrath.

"Wait? _The_ necklace? Oh no!" Alice shrieks and springs up in her four poster bed. Lily immediately attempts to shush her but she's too late.

"WILL YOU LOT SHUT UP ALREADY?!" Marlene bellows and the girls shrink back. They were always weary of upsetting Marlene as she always seemed to be on edge, she was one person who could really benefit from anger management.

Mary lets out a shrill shout in aggravation before stomping out of the room announcing her hate for both Marlene and the world. Marlene has the gall to look offended as her eyes trail after her, she's used to people backing down from her tantrums and it's clear that Mary has no intention of letting it go.

Lily pulls on the first things she can grasp out of her trunk and freshens up quickly before fleeing the room. She makes her way down to the Great Hall with the intention of enjoying a quiet breakfast but has other ideas when she spots Remus Lupin sitting by himself at the Gryffindor table. She slides in across from him, shooting him a warm smile which he returns. "Good morning, Lily. You're up early." This is true, it was common knowledge that Lily enjoyed sleeping in on the weekends but this Saturday was an exception.

"Yes well, my roommates have had a rough morning and I've found it quite difficult to sleep through. Where are your friends?" She asks him, it was rare to see any one of the boys on their own, save for the prefect activities Remus had to participate in.

"Still sleeping, they were up late… er doing things." He hedges, suddenly very interested in a muffin he's picked up. He expects a lecture to start at any moment but he's surprised when she just laughs.

"By things do you mean Dorcas Meadowes?" She asks him jokingly. "What?" His eyes snap to hers, worry swimming in their blue depths. "Oh, it's just something Marlene mentioned about Sirius. It's just a joke, don't worry." She can tell by the look on his face that he is worried but he lets the matter drop.

Lily awkwardly butters a piece a toast, normally her conversations with Remus Lupin were lighthearted and enjoyable but this morning was quite the opposite. She decides after another uncomfortable moment that she'll take her toast to go and search for Mary as she was probably still devastated about the necklace.

She bids Remus goodbye politely and makes her way through the corridors in search of Mary. Currently she's breezing through the third floor hallway and she stops short when she hears several voices from around the corner.

"I saw her running around the school asking everyone for that stupid necklace. Pathetic." The unmistakable voice of Avery jeers, sending chills through Lily's body.

"Filthy blood traitor, she is. She deserves what's coming to her!" Lily has to stifle a gasp at the voice she recognizes immediately as Snape's. 'What's coming to her'? What does that mean?

"What'd you do with the necklace?" Avery asks eagerly.

"I threw it into the lake, over near that funny looking bush shaped like a bird." Mulciber laughs and Lily hurries away from them, unable to listen any longer. Mulciber had singled out Mary since the beginning of the school year. He started out small at first but soon began becoming increasingly cruel. There had been an incident before Christmas that had spread like the plague around the school and his attempts to harass her subsided a bit after that. However, yesterday afternoon she had told Lily, Alice, and Marlene that he had shoved her when she had found herself in the same empty corridor as him. That must have been when he snagged her necklace. Lily sighed and decided on hiding in the library for a bit, flustered from hearing the unkind voices of the future Death Eaters in the hallway.

* * *

Lily did not see Mary until after nine o'clock that evening and when she did find her she was sobbing violently into her pillow. Lily approached her in attempt to comfort her but she was met with a harsh command to leave her alone. She didn't know what to do, Mary was so distraught that it caused Lily physical pain to watch. She knew that if her family discovered that she lost the necklace they would never forgive her, the necklace had been passed down to the women in the family for centuries.

Lily makes a decision, staring at her crying form and bolts from the dorm before she can overthink it. She quickly makes her way down the stairs, noticing a distinct mop of unruly black hair resting on the back of one of the couches. She considers for a moment asking Potter to come along but decides against it, she doesn't need anyone telling her she was making a bad choice. She shuffles through the portrait hole and ignores the voice that calls after her.

She's stripping down to her bra and knickers when she reaches the edge of the lake, they're an embarrassing color of bright fuchsia but it doesn't matter as there is no one around to see her in her current state of undress. She regrets not thinking to grab a swimsuit or something but at this point if she turns back she'll lose her nerve for sure.

"Lumos," She whispers, the tip of wand now glowing and allowing her to see just a few inches into the murky lake. She's near the edge with the odd shaped bush Mulciber described, she dips her toes in first and finds the water to be fairly chilly as one would expect. She wades around in the shallow water for a bit hoping the necklace will appear but of course it does not. She slowly and deliberately makes her way deeper until her chest is submerged. Still she has no luck. Reluctantly, she ducks her head under and hastily tries to locate the accessory. Her heart is beating so quickly she fears her heart may burst from her chest.

Lily's eyes scan the dark water frantically and only stop when she spots a faint glint atop a nearby rock. She snatches the necklace up in her fingers swiftly and pushes herself to the surface where she pants hungrily for air. She's about to make her way out of lake when she feels something grasp her ankle firmly and pull her down into the water once again, stifling her scream.

* * *

James Potter sits on the couch in front of the fire waiting for Sirius and Peter to return from their trip to the kitchens when he notices Lily Evans exiting the common room through the portrait hole in a rush. "Evans!" He calls after her but she doesn't turn around. He shrugs and goes back to staring at the fire, dreaming of the sweets his friends will return with.

After a few moments, curiosity gets the better of him and pulls the Marauder's Map from his pocket. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." He says and the map begins to appear before him. He spots Sirius and Peter first, where they've stopped to chat with Remus during his patrol. After a moment his eyes fall on Lily Evans' dot and is taken aback when he finds that she is out by the black lake, actually strike that she's _in_ the black lake. He scrambles from his position on the couch and sprints out of the tower and across the grounds.

When he finds himself beside the lake, he whips his head from side to side trying to spot her bright hair. His heart drops down into his stomach when it's not her hair he sees but a pair of pale arms flailing out of the water far from the shore. How did she get that far out? It's clear that she's struggling to get away from something that isn't the giant squid.

James had only ever ventured into the water once before and that was in his fourth year with the rest of the Marauders. They had wanted to see the merpeople so quite ingeniously they had partially transfigured themselves into sea animals to allow them to hold their breath for an extended period of time.

James pointed his wand to his neck and muttered a spell, his upper body morphed into that of a juvenile orca and he dived in without a second thought. It was easy to see where Lily was struggling to stay above the water as she was making choppy waves in the water in her attempt to escape. He lit his wand to better see and swam as quickly as he could manage.

As he neared her he noticed that her attacker was a grindylow, attempting to drag her into the depths of the lake. He made a grab for Lily but she struggled away with a sharp yelp, obviously frightened by his form. He sends the grindylow away with a flick of his wand and collects her. She stops struggling when she realizes she's nestled into the arms of a human, unsure of who it is but too tired to fight any longer.

When they finally find themselves back on the grass, James returns to his regular appearance. At the sight of him, Lily captures him fiercely in a hug and thanks him repeatedly. He holds her tightly against his chest as though if he lets go she'll disappear.

"Lily, what were you thinking?" He asks at a loss for why she would do such a thing.

But Lily's mind is preoccupied as she realizes that her body, only clad in her thin underwear is currently pressed up against James Potter's.

"If you wanted to get me naked, Potter, all you had to do was ask." She says with a slight giggle. He pulls back and stares at her incredulously but laughs along with her. As if this whole time he wasn't asking?

* * *

In the weeks that follow Lily and James become very close, even more so than before. Her and her friends sit beside him and his friends during meals, often snatching food from one another's plate for no reason other than to get the other's attention. She can be found some nights in his dorm playing exploding snap with him into the wee hours of the morning, not because either one of them is particularly invested in the game but they are unwilling to say goodnight. One day when Sirius skips Charms class they even sit beside each other, passing notes and small smiles (and, of course, not without an argument or two).

When it comes time to board the train and head home for the summer, they and their friends share a compartment. Tossing each other candies that cause them to make strange calls or sounds. Sirius catches a red one that Peter throws him and lets out the deafening roar of a lion. Marlene pops a blue one in her mouth that causes her to whistle like a dolphin. Lily eats a gray candy that makes engine smoke escape from her ears. James claps his hands over her ears and laughs with her as they wait for the steam to subside.

The remainder of the train ride passes in a similar fashion. A lot of candy is consumed, multiple games of exploding snap are played, and gossip is discussed at length. When it's time to go their separate ways they exchange firm hugs and sad goodbyes filled with promises to see each other again soon. After they finish, Lily begins to set off to where her parents wait for her along a short wall but before she can get too far she hears James calling after her.

"Evans!" He catches her hand and pulls her to a stop.

"Potter." She says amused but makes no attempt to pull her hand away from his.

"If I wrote you this summer, would you write back?" His hazel eyes are alight with a sweet hope and she smiles. For a moment, she tries to think of a witty response to fire back but then decides after all this time maybe it's not quite necessary.

"Yes, Potter. I will."

* * *

 **A/N: Please, please, please review and let me know what you think! This chapter came together better than I thought it would and I loved writing it so much!**

 **Thank you SoccerDiva and beckytanyw for the reviews, they made me want to sit down and write!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter.**

Summer 1976

 _My Dearest Evans,_

 _I am sending this letter to you as a test of sorts. Sirius brought to my attention the possibility that you might have been messing with me for a laugh. I, of course, told him he was mistaken but now I am feeling a bit unsure and need your reassurance on the matter. To put my mind at ease I request that you send me a poem announcing your undying love for me no later than tomorrow evening._

 _Yours,_

 _James_

 _P.S. I am quite aware that sending you a letter the day after term ends is pathetic so there is no need for you to point this out to me._

* * *

 _Potter,_

 _You're an idiot._

 _I mean that quite literally._

 _No, I'm not joking._

 _(that was a haiku)_

 _Yours,_

 _Lily_

 _P.S. It is pathetic and I will point it out, thank you very much._

* * *

 _Evans,_

 _While I am disappointed in the content of your poem, I am quite ecstatic to have received a response from you. I'm not sure if you're aware but over the years I have sent you a total of twelve letters and one howler (sorry about that, I didn't know you're mum would be in the room) that went unanswered. As I am so gracious, I have decided not to hold these horrid offenses against you._

 _I know that it's been hardly a week but I hope that you're summer is going well. I have had a wonderful time enduring my mother's lectures concerning the eighteen letters she received from Hogwarts this year, which I may add is an all-time low so I'm not so sure why she's complaining (ninety-two is my record by the way, third year was one for the books). She's forced me to organize the entire library into alphabetical order without magic and it turns out she didn't appreciate it when I pretended to not know the order of the alphabet. I don't have it as bad as Sirius though, she's making him help design the invitations for her annual Christmas party. Don't ask me why it has to be done so far in advance, I don't know._

 _I expect that you miss me dearly already but do try to get ahold of yourself, if you can't then I'd be happy to do it for you._

 _Yours,_

 _James_

* * *

 _Lily,_

 _I cannot thank you enough for finding my necklace! It was the first thing my mother asked about when we walked through the door. I think she might have beheaded me if I didn't have it! I wish you would tell me where you found it but I'm grateful all the same. I would love for you to come visit this summer, Marlene and Alice will be coming to stay at the beginning of August and you're welcome to join._

 _I hope to see you!_

 _Lots of love,_

 _Mary_

* * *

 _James,_

 _I'm sorry to hear that you did not enjoy my poem, I spent hours perfecting it and I'm disappointed that you didn't appreciate it more. I am painfully aware of the letters you have sent me in the past and I am sad to inform you that I do not regret my lack of response._

 _I am glad to hear that you, in fact, do know the order of the alphabet although I fail to see how reorganizing an entire library is better than assisting your mother in designing invitations but to each their own. Your improvement over the years is astounding I must say, I mean… ninety-two? Really? How did you manage that? Actually I take that back. I don't want to know._

 _My summer has been okay so far. My mother insists on baking copious (yes, I did use the word copious) amounts of pastries for me as she's convinced I'm too thin and my sister has a dreadful new boyfriend that she's been dating for the past year without my knowledge so I suppose he's not_ that _new. He strongly resembles a walrus which is unfortunate for him but hilarious for me._

 _I do miss you, you're right about that but I am somehow managing despite that._

 _Yours,_

 _Lily_

* * *

 _Lily,_

 _Alice ran into Frank yesterday in Diagon Alley and the git finally asked her out. Just thought I'd warn you so you wouldn't too be surprised when you received your wedding invitation._

 _Marlene xo_

* * *

 _Lily,_

 _Your sentiments wound me but somehow I think I will find the will to go on. Now, I know you said that you didn't want to hear about the ninety-two letters that were sent home to my parents but I can tell that you're lying. I have been told I'm quite good at reading between the lines. There were only six reasons in which I ever received letters home and those were as follows:_

 _1._ _Being caught out of bed after curfew_

 _2._ _Transfiguring things into other things that they 'shouldn't be'_

 _3._ _Hexing Snape_

 _4._ _Being caught in places I 'shouldn't be'_

 _5._ _Back talking professors (usually Slughorn because let's be honest, he likes it)_

 _6._ _Pulling amazing and elaborate pranks that I 'shouldn't be'_

 _Try not to be too impressed with the scope but I'll understand if you can't help it._

 _I'm sad to say I'm disappointed in you Lily as I'm sure resentment for your sister's boyfriend/walrus stems from a place of jealousy. It's okay to admit you have a bit of a crush on him! (It's also okay to admit to your crush on me too, any day now Lily would be great!) Your mother sounds wonderful, please feel free to send me any sweets you feel you cannot possibly manage to consume. I am particularly fond of treacle tart but I will not turn anything away!_

 _Yours with love,_

 _James_

 _P.S. I miss you too._

 _P.P.S. I kissed this letter so keep it somewhere safe, preferably underneath your pillow but I'll also accept your underwear drawer._

* * *

 _Prongs,_

 _I'm only sending you this letter so I can laugh at your face when you realize it's not from Evans. HA!_

 _Padfoot_

* * *

 _James,_

 _I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON PETUNIA'S AWFUL BOYFRIEND!_

 _I must say I'm actually quite impressed with how short the list is, I can think of at least a dozen other offenses that deserved letters home but alas it is not for me to decide. Speaking of letters, I've just received my Hogwarts letter and I've been made Head Girl! Can you believe it? I am so excited!_

 _I must apologize as I will have to cut this letter short. I'm expected at a horrid family dinner (that I 'shouldn't be', see what I did there?) but I am sending along a package of my mother's best pastries so you'll have to forgive me!_

 _Yours with love,_

 _Lily_

 _P.S. I assure you I am keeping your letter very safe in my trash bin._

* * *

 _Evans,_

 _I feel inclined to let you know that James has found himself in a state of shock. He was just opening his Hogwarts letter when what else falls from the envelope but a shiny Head Boy badge! Before you say it's a mistake, McGonagall specifically stated that it was not a joke and that the staff feels he's grown up! How silly of them!_

 _I am most likely correct in assuming that you have been made Head Girl (although with Dumbledore's recent bout of insanity, I wouldn't be surprised if Peter was Head Girl!) so I feel compelled to congratulate the two of you in advance as I know you will be sharing a dorm and with any luck shagging by the end of term!_

 _Try not to explode from excitement! (Or other things! You know your mind went there!)_

 _From me,_

 _Sirius Black_

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for reading and please let me know what you think! SoccerDiva thanks again for the reviews, encouragement is always welcome :) Hope you guys enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything Harry Potter.

The Day that James Potter Didn't Completely Screw-Up Being Head Boy

 _September 1_ _st_ _, 1976_

"I don't think I can do this." James nearly hyperventilates as he drags his feet towards the prefect's compartment. Remus and Sirius are marching dutifully at his sides as Peter shuffles along behind them, struggling to keep up with their brisk pace.

"If it's any help at all, I don't think you can either." Sirius announces more loudly than is entirely necessary. This earns him a murderous sideways glance from Remus. James had been having a difficult time processing the idea of being Head Boy since he had received the dour news in his Hogwarts letter. His mind had been muddled with worry, what if he let down his parents or Dumbledore? What if he let down Lily (again)? Or the entire student body, for that matter.

"Don't listen to him, Prongs. Dumbledore believes that you can do this and when is he ever wrong?" Remus reasons with Peter blubbering is agreement in the background. James tries to calm his nerves, any moment now and he'll be reciting the speech he rehearsed with Remus the night previous about responsibility (which he knows nothing about), candor (what does that mean again, Moony?), and loyalty (that he knew a fair bit about).

He pushes the compartment door open after receiving an additional reassurance from Remus and another unwanted comment from Sirius before they depart for their own compartment. His senses are immediately consumed by the sweet scent of cinnamon and apples, the source of the smell is currently leaning back in her seat. Her eyes are squeezed firmly shut like she's trying to force a painful image out of her head and her red hair is mussed at the crown as though she's run her hands through it in frustration several times over.

"Lily?" He whispers, afraid that if he speaks to loudly he might startle her. She slowly opens one eye to scan over him before a slight smile pulls at her lips. "So it's true, you are Head Boy."

"Unfortunately." He mutters shortly before taking a seat beside her, his heart pounding as he brushes his shoulder with hers. She snorts at his comment and sits a bit a straighter to address him fully. He notices that there is a sadness in her eyes that he doesn't usually see. Sure, he's seen anger, annoyance, and disappointment in her eyes but sadness is not one he's familiar with.

"Is everything okay?" James asks hesitantly. Their first exchange of the new term wasn't going as he had expected. He had thought she might throw a tirade because a troublemaker like him made Head Boy or gape at him in shock for several moments but she was doing neither of those things. Why not?

"Yes, it's just hard to say goodbye to my mum and Alice—" She starts to say but the prefects begin arriving at this point, effectively cutting her off.

The meeting runs smoothly, James says everything that Remus said he should say and Lily is kind yet unyielding as she explains the duties to the newcomers. Aside from a few strange looks his way, nothing of consequence occurs.

As soon as the last sixth year Hufflepuff exits, James turns to Lily. "What were you saying about Alice?" He worries silently that something may have transpired between the two of them over summer and that's why she seems down.

"I think she's making a big mistake but I could never tell her that," She starts lowly as if she were being listened to. "She started dating Frank Longbottom two weeks into holiday and they just got engaged before she left for King's Cross this morning! It's too fast, two months isn't a long enough time to decide whether you should spend your life with someone! It's so irresponsible of both of them. They're going to have to spend the entire year apart and then just jump into each other's arms after we graduate months and months from now? It's just unrealistic!" Her voice gets progressively louder and her words start to blur together towards the end of her breathless rant.

James is taken aback by this news. He had been under the impression that Frank would be studying to become an Auror after his graduation, a very time consuming career path as the program was accelerated due to the war. There weren't enough Aurors at the Ministry when the war started to heat up so the program that ordinarily took years to complete was packed into just one year of training. From what he had heard it was a very strenuous process to endure without deciding to begin a new relationship, let alone marriage.

"I'd have to agree with you, it's a bit rushed but with the war people are afraid that they might not make it long enough to wait it out." He says, this wasn't the conversation he wanted to be having with Lily as soon as he finally got to see her again. Her shoulders slump at his comment, clearly this isn't what she wanted to hear. "I wouldn't get married just because there's a war going on, I'll only ever marry because I know it's what I would have done. War or no war and it may be awful but I expect the same from her." James stares at her for a moment, mulling over her sentiment. He likes that she wouldn't marry a man just because if she didn't right then she might never get a chance to. He couldn't help but agree with her. He also didn't think it would be appropriate to insinuate that maybe Alice had agreed with her and this was what she wanted. Lily wouldn't believe that even if it were true.

James wraps his arms around he shoulders and draws her in close to his chest in an embrace. He can't help but notice how perfectly she fits with the top of head right below his chin and her slender build that curves against his. He tries to push these thoughts from his head for fear that he sounds like a cheesy romance novel but her warm arms around his back make it nearly impossible.

"So how hard did you laugh when you found out I was Head Boy?" He murmurs into her hair. This causes her to go into fits of laughter so loud he swears Hogsmeade can hear her. His once content expression melts into a frown as he hears just _exactly_ how hard she laughed.

* * *

"She's in love with me." James insists as the train lurches to a stop. Sirius rolls his eyes melodramatically as Peter and Remus share a knowing expression but choose not to dignify the declaration with a response. They had passed the remainder of the train ride by planning their upcoming excursion for the next full moon. James had continually tried to wedge in his theories concerning his "blooming" relationship with Lily but Sirius consistently cut him off in order to avoid his dazed musings.

"Cool. That's one bird for you and let's think… fourteen for me? I reckon I'm okay with that." Sirius says, pulling the compartment door open and winking at the first girl in sight to prove his point. The group of boys file their way out of the Hogwarts Express boisterously, laughing at inside jokes and unrequited love. However, their mirth is short lived, when Sirius' eyes fall upon his younger brother he falls silent for a moment.

"What's he doing with them?" He growls and James' stomach flips uncomfortably as he recalls the events of last May. He had confessed what he had overheard with Lily to Remus the next day but he had never told Sirius. Peter looks frightened at Sirius' fierce gaze and looks to James as though it's his job to sort it out.

"Don't let it get to you, mate." James says, inwardly berating himself for that useless response. Sirius turns to glare at him before he storms off in the direction of his brother, James groans before following after him.

Sirius grabs Regulus by the arm, pulling him away from Mulciber, Snape, and Avery. "Bloody hell, Reg! What are you doing with these bastards?" He's not far enough away that they can't overhear what he's saying. "Who are you calling a bastard?" Mulciber growls, approaching the pair.

"Oh get lost, won't you? Don't you have to go wash Snivellus' hair or something? I expect it takes an army!" He spits at the three Slytherins.

"Sirius, that's enough." James says evenly, discretely dipping his hands into his robes and laying a hand on his wand in case things went south. And they did, Snape had brandished his own wand, pointing it right at Sirius. Which he seemed to find hilarious. "Oh what are you going to do, Sniv? Launch your girly little Patronus at me?" Snape doesn't seem to find this suggestion very comical as his sneer turns to pure horror. He wonders how Sirius knows about his Patronus, they wouldn't be tackling the charm in classes until this coming year and he had only performed it in solitude.

"Now, let's all just calm—" But James can't finish his half-hearted attempt to quell the situation.

" _Sectumsempra!"_ Snape cries and Sirius' body is struck with a series of deep gashes, each gushing blood. James races to his side, he knows this curse. It's been used on him before. He also knows it's a spell of Snape's own creation and the counter curse is needed to heal him. James shoots a curse at Snape to immobilize him, keeping him in a locked and rigid state. Perfect for threatening.

"Severus," A steady voice comes from behind him. "Put him right." Lily's voice isn't more than a whisper but the group of teenagers stiffen nonetheless. James flicks his wand in a jerky motion to allow Snape to move once again. The sallow faced boy hovers over Sirius' bloody form and mutters the counter curse before quickly turning on his heel and setting off away from them. Mulciber, Avery, and Regulus look as though they'd like to add something but James raises a daring eyebrow at them and they shuffle away.

Lily's eyes are empty of emotion as she watches James pull Sirius to his feet, slinging one arm over his shoulder and assisting him to the carriages. It's only been a few hours but James feels like he's already mucked up as Head Boy and he can't help thinking Lily agrees with him.

* * *

James isn't at the feast that night and Lily tries to pretend that she doesn't notice. She has to admit that she's started to think of James as a close friend since their correspondence over the summer and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed to find him and Snape poised for a duel. She sighs, telling herself over and over again that he isn't the same prat of a boy he used to be. After all, it had been Sirius who had been bloodied not Snape. She scrunches her nose up at the thought of the gruesome sight and decides not to dwell on the incident.

She's been quiet with her friends during the feast. Alice has been blithering on nonstop about her recent engagement, talking about everything from colors to wedding dresses. Lily's not the only one who thinks things are moving too quickly between her and Frank, Marlene also looks uncomfortable at the current topic of conversation. Her face is beat red and her breaths are coming in short bursts, a telltale sign that she was fighting one of her outbursts. Mary, on the other hand, was eagerly soaking up Alice's every word and making her own suggestions.

Lily almost sighs audibly in relief when Professor McGonagall ushers her away from the table to show her to her new dormitory. "It's my understanding that Mr. Potter is in the hospital wing with Mr. Black so if you would be so kind as so share the password you create for the portrait with him later. I have every confidence that he is already aware of where the dormitory is located." McGonagall tells her in her usual stern tone and Lily struggles to keep up with her as she turns every which way until they find themselves somewhere by the kitchens. "You know where we are, correct?" She asks, stopping in front of a large portrait that makes Lily want to cry out. "Yes." She says but she doesn't. "Er… is this the right portrait?" Lily asks uncertainly as she stares at Sir Cadogan's sleeping form. She silently thanks forces higher than her that he isn't conscious at this moment. She had met Sir Cadogan in her third year while searching for the Divination classroom and he had very kindly and loudly showed her the way. She has lived to regret the day since.

"Yes, well you see there was damage done to this portrait last year by a group of troublemakers. Who I am sure, you have had the pleasure of meeting. Sir Cadogan was nice enough to stand in until we can have the portrait repaired. So if you'll just assign him a password we can move inside." She says pointedly and Lily tries to mask her disdain at the prospect of waking up Sir Cadogan.

"Er… Sir Cadogan? Sir?" She's nearly yelling through the empty corridor and he swiftly lifts his head from where it hung against his shoulder as though he were about to be attacked. "Who dares— oh I'm sorry, my good lady! How can I be of noble service?" He booms and Lily shrinks slightly backward. "I just wanted to set a password. I was thinking maybe… treacle tart? It's James' favorite…." She blushes at that last part, adjusting her robes where she'd hidden a piece of treacle tart, wrapped in paper to bring to James as he'd missed the feast.

After a few more words were exchanged and a challenge to a duel from Sir Cadogan, Lily followed Professor McGonagall inside the quarters. She would have been lying if she said that she wasn't floored by what she saw before her. She and James had an entire common room to themselves, complete with a small library and a fireplace. There were two sets of stairs, one on each side of the room. "Your dormitory will be on the left and Mr. Potter's will be to the right. You each have your own private bathroom but you are still welcome to use the prefect's if it fits your fancy. Your dormitory is much the same as before, there is magic in place to prevent any boys from entering so you should feel perfectly at ease. Keep in mind that this common room is a shared space so you should both be respectful of one another." Professor McGonagall rattles off before bidding her goodnight. Lily can hear through the portrait that she's practically running from Sir Cadogan and she has to fight a smile.

Lily takes her time exploring the new quarters, running her fingers along the smooth spines of the leather books and bouncing on the couch cushions to evaluate their softness. She decides that she loves her new bedroom as soon as she sees it, it's decorated in Gryffindor colors with a large bed in the center and a loveseat by the window. The adjoining bathroom is luxurious, reminiscent of the prefect's bathroom but quite a bit smaller.

It's nearing ten o'clock when she settles herself in front of the fire to wait for James. It occurred to her that there was no way that he would know the password so she scanned the shelves around the room for a book to read while she waited.

It's not long before she hears the distinct rumble of Sir Cadogan's voice asking who was trespassing. Lily hurries to open the portrait from the inside and ushers him in which he does without hesitation.

"Oh thank Merlin, he's a bloody lunatic!" James exclaims before taking in their new common room and flopping on one of the couches.

"How's Sirius?" She asks after he's sunken into the cushions. "He's okay just weak. He'll have to stay overnight in the hospital wing but otherwise he's alright." He murmurs but there's a hint of something in his voice, something she knows all too well.

"Promise you're not going to go after Sev— Snape. It's not a good idea. I know he was a right prat but you're Head Boy now and you've got to act like it." She tells him firmly, unsure if he'd even listen. When his eyes meet hers they're hard and empty. It's quite apparent everything she's just said has just gone through one ear and out the other. "He's not a good person, Evans. Who bloodies someone up like that for making fun of their hygiene? It's not normal!" She inwardly winces at his use of her surname and tries to read the emotions flowing through his features. She doesn't say much, she merely stares and she can't help thinking that this wasn't quite the reunion she was hoping for when they finally saw each other again.

She sighs and stand from where she had sat on the arm of couch. "I guess I'll just see you tomorrow then." James shuts his eyes at that, upset with how he handle things and worried that she was still upset over what happened. "Meet me here so we can walk together for breakfast in the morning?" She asks unsure, as if he'd say no. A small smile breaks onto his sullen face. "Of course." He tells her.

He didn't realize that his smile could get any bigger until her saw the piece of dessert on his nightstand in his room later that night.

 _James,_

 _I'm sorry you had to miss the feast so I brought you you're favorite (don't get used to it). Here's to another great year._

 _-Lily_

Maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks so much for reading guys! Please let me know what you think! This chapter was surprisingly really difficult to write but I hope it doesn't show too much. I did want to get it out today as it is September 1st though(for like one more hour, eh). I'm excited for the next chapter because I think you guys will enjoy it, we'll be joining the boys during one of their full moons with some Lily goodness thrown in there. Thanks again to those who reviewed! It's great to hear from you! Thank you Lanie, HarryPotterFanHermione, and pigows it's wonderful to get feedback and I love it! Until next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything Harry Potter.

The Day that Lily Evans Solemnly Swore She Was Up to No Good

 _September 8_ _th_ _, 1976_

"I challenge thee to a duel!" Sir Cadogan cries, drawing his sword from where it sits on his waist. Lily pays no mind to his shenanigans and proceeds to bang her forehead repeatedly into the wall beside his portrait. She had brazenly demanded that James change the password two nights previous when she entered their common room to find Peter examining Sirius' back for unusual moles which subsequently made her gag. However, James' idea for a password was so obscure that she couldn't remember it and that is why she is currently being verbally accosted by one annoying knight.

"Please, you know who I am! You see me every day!" She pleads with him to no avail, once again being told that she could be a clever impostor. "I will only allow your entrance should you best me in a duel!" He declares, prompting another round of head banging. "How am I supposed to duel you? You're in a bloody picture frame!" She shouts, her temper flaring up. She closes her eyes helplessly and huffs angrily into the wall. Her eyes only snap open when she hears a familiar voice rattling the password in question off to Sir Cadogan.

"Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump!" Slowly she lifts her head, recognizing the voice as none other than Sirius Black's. The boy who got her into this mess in the first place. She makes to follow him through the portrait hole and roars an indignant yell when it slams in her face. "You let him in and not me? He doesn't even live here!" Her voices echoes through the empty hallway and Sir Cadogan at least has the decency to wince at her tone. "He had the password." He mutters uselessly. "How did he even know that? James said he wasn't going to tell him! I couldn't even remember that for goodness sake!"

"Everyone knows Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump." He tells her which only serves to irritate her further. "Obviously they don't!" She shrieks and the portrait swings open to reveal an amused Sirius on the other side. "Just get in here, Evans. No need for all the fuss." He demands with a laugh and she stomps in.

"I told you not to come back after that whole back picking thing you and Peter were doing! I can't believe James told you the password again!" She barks before falling into an armchair, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "He didn't tell me either time, they're just pathetic passwords. I don't even have to try to guess them. Babbitty Rabbitty was James' favorite story as a child and treacle tart is his dessert of choice. It's like you guys aren't even trying to be creative." He tells her as he flops onto a couch, settling back against the throw pillows. She almost reminds him again that he doesn't live here but she decides to keep it to herself, knowing in the end nothing can stop Sirius when he's determined.

"So what are you doing here?" She asks after a few moments of silence. "Waiting for James." He says with something that's meant to be a shrug. "He's trying out new students for the quidditch team, he won't be back for a while." She points out, hoping that he doesn't plan to stay here until he gets back. "Keeping tabs on him, Evans? He'll like that." He says with a sideways glance and a smirk, causing her cheeks to flush. "He hasn't stopped talking about it since the start of term, it'd be silly if I didn't know." She defends and he only acknowledges her words with a quiet hum.

Lily runs her hand through hair and emits a small sigh as she realizes that he does intend to wait for James to come back. She rifles through her school bag and pulls her half-completed potions essay out. They were currently studying amortentia, Slughorn had set a long essay on the topic to prepare them for their brewing of the potion the following week. She takes time to describe the mother-of-pearl sheen it's known for and how its steam rises in spirals. She's completely immersed in the subject when Peter also clambers through the portrait hole and she has to stifle a frustrated groan. He seems as though he's preparing for an apocalypse with the armful of food he's brought with him, dumping it all unceremoniously on the coffee table. She's about to state the obvious and relay to them once again that James is not here until she notices he's brought pumpkin pasties. She quickly snatches a few up for herself before dropping back into her seat. _Maybe it's not so awful, after all. They're not doing anything and let's be honest this is the longest Black has ever gone without talking in his life._ She thinks to herself.

"So I'm guessing Remus will be joining us any minute now?" She says, nibbling on her treat and scanning over her textbook for more information on the potion. When she doesn't get a response right away she looks up to find Peter flitting his eyes nervously towards Sirius who seems to be giving him an exasperated look. "Nah, he's out of town for his grandfather's funeral." Sirius mutters, shoving a cauldron cake into his mouth. "His only remaining grandfather died last year." She tells him, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What's it to you? Drawing up a family tree there, Evans?" He grumbles and rises from the couch to wander into James' room. After a few nervous glances at Lily's scowling form, Peter follows him.

Lily silently ponders whether there was any weight to the rumors that had been floating around the school since third year, about Remus Lupin being a werewolf. Severus had always pushed the idea onto her, reminding her of his absence every time the full moon came around. She had never paid much mind to these accusations as she knew she would not care even if he was a werewolf. She knew Remus Lupin to be a kind boy who she had become friends with during prefect duties starting at the beginning of fifth year. She also knew that James Potter had once saved Severus from something inside the tunnel leading out of the Whomping Willow and that also happened to land on the full moon... It was said that he was ill but every once in a while a family emergency seemed to be thrown into the mix for good measure.

She sighs and decides that she'll table the issue for a different time. She's about to turn back to her essay when she notices a folded bundle of parchment on the couch where Sirius had been lounging. It only takes her a moment to realize that she'd seen it before when she had approached James in the library last May and he had hurriedly shoved it out of her view. Curious, she picks up the parchment and examines it. She's disappointed when she finds that it's blank but there's still something strange about it. Why would they be carrying around the same useless piece of parchment? She hears voices emerging from James' room and the door begin to creak open so she scrambles to shove the parchment underneath her robes and appear as though she hadn't moved from her spot on the armchair.

"I just had it! It was in my pocket!" She hears Sirius urgently whisper. "Well, you had better find it or Moony and Prongs will be pissed at you." Peter hisses and Lily realizes the pair are probably talking about the item she had just nabbed. "No, they'll be pissed at you. I'm telling them you lost it." Sirius somehow manages to bark quietly before coming back into view. "Er… Evans, you haven't seen a spare bit of parchment lying around have you?" Peter asks her timidly. "No, I'm sorry I haven't. But I have an extra roll if you'd like?" She offers, a sinking feeling of guilt settling in her stomach as she lies.

"No, no that's alright. Thanks." He mutters and begins trying (and failing) to discretely survey the room for the lost item. Lily can't stand to stare at their nervous figures any longer and heads to her room, bidding them goodnight which they reply to distractedly. She knows that when James arrives she'll be unable to make eye contact with him knowing that she's took whatever that was.

It's not long until she hears James join the others, muffled voices filling the common room. She casts a spell she'd learn from Alice years ago to make their voices loud enough for her to hear through the door.

"She's not stupid like the rest of them, Padfoot. You have to be careful what you tell her or she'll catch on!" James' voice growls. So now she knows for sure that Sirius had lied about Remus' grandfather. "I wasn't expecting her to ask about Remus right then! I had to come up with something!"

"Well, it doesn't matter now it's done. We have to get going anyway, let me just change. Got the map?" James asks and she hears Peter murmur that they can't find it. "What? Are you kidding? You're kidding." He decides and she notices that he has to stifle a frustrated shout when he finds out that they're not. "Whatever, we'll find it later. If we don't have the map then we'll have to use my cloak but it won't fit all of us anymore, you know. You'll have to go down as Wormtail, Pete." James says, his voice trailing off as he enters his room to change.

Map? Go down as Wormtail? What does that mean? When she's heard that they've left through the portrait hole she collapses atop her bed and pulls the offending parchment from beneath her robes. She flips it over in hands several times, searching for some sort of indication that it was more than spare parchment but it was completely blank. The way they were talking made it sound like this was the map they were discussing but this isn't a map it's just strangely folded paper. She wracks her brain, they had been implying that this was some sort of secret so maybe there was something to it. There must be some sort of spell that repels unwelcome people from looking at it.

"Reveal your secrets." She commands, the tip of her wand pointed in the center of the folds. She had remembered their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor do this two years prior when he intercepted a note between two Slytherins. Ink spreads across the parchment: "Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs offer their compliments to Miss Lily Evans and suggest she return this to where she found it." Her brow furrows at this, sure that this was not the effect she desired. This wasn't a map. And why did it know her name?

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs… those are their nicknames." She whispers at a loss.

 _Mr. Moony would like to remind Lily that it is impolite to pry into other people's business._

 _Mr. Padfoot would like to suggest that Evans refrain from meddling any further._

 _Mr. Prongs would like to share his appreciation for Miss Evans' interest in mischief making although he must admit he is surprised._

Mischief making?

 _Mr. Wormtail would like to respectfully request that Mr. Prongs keep his mouth shut._

 _Mr. Moony would like to express his agreement to Mr. Wormtail's request._

 _Mr. Prongs fails to see why Mr. Wormtail and Mr. Moony are so defensive, it's not as though Miss Evans solemnly swears._

Solemnly swears?

 _Mr. Padfoot would like to ask that Mr. Prongs shut his trap._

 _Mr. Moony strongly recommends Mr. Prongs follow this advice._

 _Mr. Prongs would like to urge Mr. Padfoot and Mr. Moony not to worry, it's not as though Miss Evans is up to no good._

Up to no good? Solemnly swears? It's not as though?

Mr. Wormtail is just about to weigh in when Lily points her wand to the pages and murmurs: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The ink spreads over all the pages, the musings of the Messrs forming a new blurb, reading:

 _Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs  
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers  
are proud to present  
THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

Her breaths come and go shallowly as she rifles through the pages, revealing a map encompassing the entire school. There are tiny dots accounting for everyone on the grounds, revealing where and what they were doing. She's amazed to see Dumbledore pacing in his office and Professor Slughorn wandering about through the gardens. Marlene and Mary are in the girl's dormitory, Alice is in the owlery no doubt writing to Frank, and Madame Pomfrey is in the kitchens enjoying a late snack. There are multiple secret passageways, some shortcuts and some leading out of the castle. Her eyes roam to take it all in for several minutes before remembering why she had taken the map in the first place. She searches for the dots of James, Sirius, and Peter for a long time before she finds them moving rapidly through the edge of the forbidden forest. She stiffens when she realizes they're not alone. A small dot labeled 'Remus Lupin' is moving beside them. It wasn't possible was it? They wouldn't be stupid enough to run off with a werewolf?

 _It all makes sense, though._ She thinks. _Moony's what they call Remus, it would fit._ She rises from her bed to gaze out the window, only to find that it was in fact a full moon. Her heart starts to race maddeningly at the thought of them out with a werewolf. What were they thinking? She looks down at the map again to find them mostly in the same place, still all together. She stands there wide-eyed for a moment, pondering her options. Should she go to a professor? No, she couldn't do that. They would get in too much trouble but if she left them be they could be seriously injured or turned into werewolves themselves. Deciding that she had no other choice, she rushes to her trunk to pull a cloak out and sets out across the grounds to find them.

She takes the map with her to ensure that she avoids any unwanted encounters with any professors wandering about and she has to take one of the shortcuts on the map to avoid Peeves on the second floor. She shivers when she walks out into the night air, not because she's cold but rather because of her nerves. She's over by Hagrid's hut when she hears the shrill howl of a wolf in the distance causing her to freeze. Now, it's too real. Everything that everyone speculated was true. She had heard it for herself.

She scans the map quickly and gasps when she sees that the four dots are approaching her. She makes her way in the other direction, still edging the forest to avoid being seen by Hagrid who was heading back to his hut making it impossible to go back to the castle without being seen. When she thinks she's far enough away she glances back to the map, gulping when she notices the dots still approaching her. Remus' dot seems to be shaking slightly like he might be sniffing something out...

Lily takes care not to make any sudden movements, standing straight and antsy with eyes flitting in every direction. She chances another look to the map and her heart sinks when she realizes he was tracking something all right but it wasn't her. Remus' dot was slinking towards Hagrid's, flanked by James' and Sirius'. Weren't they going to do something? Without thinking she sprints deeper into the forest but nearer to them, making as much noise as possible. When she realizes that he is still locked on Hagrid she draws her wand in defense and imitates a loud howl into the silent night.

Everything after that happens so quickly. She hears a pair of, what is that? Hooves? Racing towards her and she locks eyes with magnificent stag with antlers that extend higher in the air than she's ever seen. The stag stops short when they make eye contact, very quickly with hooves digging deep into the dirt. She'd seen eyes very similar to those before... She snaps out of her reverie when a large animal sprints towards her. It's all she can do not to scream, she raises her arms protectively over her head and ducks.

The wolf howls in pain as the stag pushes it back forcefully with its head of antlers. The stag is soon joined by a dog who aids him in keeping the werewolf at bay. Lily only looks up when she realizes that the impact she's expecting doesn't come. She's surprised to see Peter hovering over her, urging her to her stand but she can't seem to peel her eyes from the stag and black dog wrestling with the werewolf. What odd behavior.

"We have to go, Evans." Peter tells her and he's the most confident she's ever heard him sound. She scrambles to her feet and takes his extended hand. He sets the pace at a swift run and she struggles to keep up. He's not gentle with her as she trips over stones and almost smacks headfirst into a thick tree branch. They've almost made it back to the castle when Lily jerks him into a stop, her thoughts catching back up to her. "Wait! I can't leave without James! The map said he's out there and Remus… he's a werewolf! He'll get hurt!" She whimpers urgently and makes to turn around. Peter grips her arm more firmly, holding her in place and his eyes bulge at the parchment in her hand before he harshly snatches it from her grasp.

"James is fine, I promise. But if we don't get you back to the castle he'll be in danger." He says and he must know that she intends to protest because he continues. "Every moment we stand out here is another moment he could get hurt but if we head inside now he'll be okay. You have to trust me, Lily. Please." He pleads with her, tugging on her arm. She studies him for just a moment and notices for the first time how defeated he looks, his pale skin glows in the moonlight and his eyes are anxious as they move around them impatiently. She sees fear there and it makes her stop and wonder what she's doing. She doesn't belong out here. "You promise that if we go inside that he'll be okay? You and Sirius too?" He gives her a jerky nod and a trustworthy look. It'll have to be good enough.

When they reach the castle he pulls her behind a large pillar and looks over the map in his hands. "If you hurry up to your dorm you won't get stopped by anyone." He tells her, making to leave. She wants to tell him thank you. She never expected that Peter would come to her aid like this, she wants to apologize to him for her own callousness that according to him could've gotten James hurt. "You can't tell anyone about this, Evans. _No one._ " His voice gives her chills and all she can respond with is a nod. He hurries away leaving her in the corridor alone, wondering what just happened.

* * *

She sinks into the couch in front of the fireplace when she reaches their common room, thankfully having remembered the password and avoiding another unnecessary exchange with Sir Cadogan. Her hands run restlessly through her long red hair as she ponders the events of the evening. How could Remus roam around the grounds at night like that? Surely there would have been precautions put in place to prevent this kind of scare? And what did James, Sirius, and Peter have to do with all of this? What was with the stag and the dog tackling the werewolf? It doesn't make sense! The stag stared at her for so long and its eyes were so familiar… they were a distinct hazel color and she knows someone who…. _The stag was James? Oh Merlin. So that must mean he transfigured himself or surely he's not… not an Animagus, right? There's no way, he's too young and he's not even registered!_ She jerks her head from side-to-side to shake the thought but she can't. _That's why they call him Prongs, isn't it? Their nicknames all stand for animals so Padfoot is… the dog! Wormtail? What, a rat or something?_

Lily buries her head in the arm of the couch, one week with the Head Boy and her head is ready to explode. She curls up in a ball and covers herself with the fluffy blanket on the back of the couch, resolving to wait there until James returned.

He doesn't return before three in the morning when she finally loses her resolve and falls asleep.

* * *

James doesn't speak to Peter and Sirius as they walk through the corridors of the castle. He listens to them recount the night, how Lily took the map and took it upon herself to come searching for them. He has to fight the satisfaction that rushes through him when Peter tells him that Lily had refused to leave without him because he was determined to be angry with her. How could she have been so careless? Running into the forest knowing full well that there was a werewolf wandering about and _then_ provoking it with a poorly executed howl? What was she thinking?

The three boys have to break away from each other to their respective dormitories, Sirius and Peter to the right and James to the left. He tries to convince them to just come to his as they needed to be down for breakfast in less than an hour. "You have talk to Evans," Sirius tells him with a shake of his shaggy head. "Don't yell at her, you'll regret it. As stupid as she was last night, she didn't understand what she was doing." James nods absentmindedly and greets Sir Cadogan neutrally with the password.

Almost all of James' anger melts away when his eyes fall on the sleeping form in front of the fire. Lily's hair is fanned out behind her face and her expression is set in one of absolute peace. He watches her breathe evenly and slow. He adjusts the blanket so that it covers her body completely as is must have slipped sometime during the night. She stirs when she feels his fingers brush against her shoulder, her eyes open blearily and it takes her moment to focus on him. He offers her a weak smile and once she registers the previous nights' events she bolts upward and launches herself into his arms. He instinctively catches her in a tight hug and she buries her face into his neck.

"I'm so sorry, James. I can't believe I did all those things yesterday. I shouldn't have stolen your map or followed you guys out there or drawn attention to myself. I'm just… sorry." She finishes lamely. He pulls back to look at her and her eyes widen when she notices a deep scratch peeking out from the collar of his shirt. He follows her gaze curiously. "It's nothing, don't worry." He tells her but she's already unbuttoning the top of his shirt and pushing it off the one side. She whimpers at the length of the series of scratches she reveals, they trail from the top of his shoulder all the way down to his waist. She pushes away from him and stands up straight. "What the bloody hell were you thinking? He's a werewolf, Potter! How could you think it was a good idea to meander around with him while he does whatever it is that he does?" Her eyes are narrowed dangerously with her hands resting on her hips and her leg shaking anxiously. He shoots up to stand as well, towering over her small frame. "I don't have to explain anything to you, Evans! You don't understand what Remus goes through every month, he's not a monster! He needs us!"

"I never said he was a monster! I just think it's really irresponsible for you and your friends to transfigure yourself into animals and put yourself in danger like that!" He raises an eyebrow at her assessment, telling her she was wrong without saying it in so many words. "No, no, no. Don't tell me. You are not Animagi! It's not possible! It's really difficult magic and it's illegal to not be registered!" He doesn't know if she's really talking to him at this point because her hands are in her hair and she's pacing around the coffee table, avoiding his eyes. "Those stupid bloody nicknames! This whole time it was right under everyone's noses! And that godforsaken map of yours! Where the bloody hell did you get that? You know that would be really dangerous in the wrong person's hands!" This get him thinking. "How did you get the map to open for you?" He asks suspiciously.

" _Mr. Prongs_ told me how to do it, I didn't even have to ask!" She shrieks and he flinches ever so slightly at the high pitch of her voice. "I should have known. It's my magic, of course it would tell you what to do." He muses to himself. This stops her pacing. " _Your magic?_ What do you mean _your magic_? Please don't tell me you and your bloody idiot friends made that map! That magic is too advanced!" She stammers, feeling like a broken record. He raises his eyebrows again, unimpressed with her conclusion. "Oh Merlin." She moans, dropping back down on the couch. He sits down gingerly beside her and moves her wand that lays between them to the coffee table for the sake of his own safety.

"The map can't be opened unless you know how and I can assure you that you're the only one 'Mr. Prongs' would assist in that endeavor." He assures her. "Even my magic in a piece of parchment would do stupid things to impress you." He laughs softly and he's happy when he hears a rather unladylike snort from her. "I just… still don't understand." She tells him, calmer but still evidently distressed.

"We figured out second year what was up with Remus, he wouldn't tell us because he thought we would ditch him when we found out, stupid git. It was hard for him, Lily, for days before and after his transformation every month he could hardly function he was so ill. And during his transformation, they would lock him up in the shrieking shack and he would torture himself. He would come back with scratches and bites all over him so the boys and I did some research. We found out that werewolves aren't a danger to other animals and that's where we got the idea to become Animagi." She listens to his story with rapt interest. "It was difficult, took us the better part of two years but we were able to manage it in fifth year. Sirius got it first and I remember being so angry that he beat me to it that I was able to transform myself only a few minutes after him." He smiles, remembering his jealousy when Sirius had been first. "He turned into a dog and I stag as you now know. It took Peter longer, about three more months but with our help he could do it too."

"And Wormtail? So he's a rat?" She guesses and James nods. "He was small enough that he could reach the base of the Whomping Willow, he would use his paws on the trunk to stop the writhing of the branches. Then, Sirius and I could go through the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack where Remus was. It became the best times of our lives, we would go anywhere and everywhere, just exploring. Sirius and I were big enough animals that we could keep Moony in check. We made sure to steer clear of where people might be because if he could smell them he would go into a frenzy. There were a few close calls but we were always able to control him. And as for the map," He says, pulling the parchment she knew all too well now from his pocket. "We created this in fourth year, we started in third year when we couldn't all fit under my invisibility cloak anymore. We needed a way to sneak around without getting caught so we made this, in all honestly I'm not completely sure how we did it. It was just a lot of determination, I suppose but it was all worth it. It'll insult anyone who tries to open without knowing how, except you of course." He opens the map and utters the words: "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good". He shows her things on the map she hadn't noticed on her own and explains their ideas on certain bits. "And when you're done with it, you just point your wand and say: 'mischief managed'." He tells her with a smile which she can't help but return, it was truly extraordinary magic no matter how many rules they broke making it.

"I don't regret anything, Lily. I would do it all over again." He says firmly and she nods. "I just don't want you— or any of you to get hurt. I can't say that I agree with everything you've done but I understand why you did. I admire how much you've done for Remus. He's lucky to have friends like you."

"I'm lucky too. I don't know many people who willingly try to save their friends from werewolves." Their eyes meet and neither one can seem to break away.

* * *

As they walk down to the Great Hall together, Lily catches James' hand in hers and doesn't let go despite the strange looks they get from students passing by. James contemplates making a comment but decides against it when he sees her pink tinged cheeks. He realizes this is hard for her but she doesn't pull away even though that would be easier. He tries and fails (quite miserably, at that) to suppress the giddy smile spreading across his features.

They sit across his friends at the end of the table. Sirius looks surprised at the pair and Lily is relieved when he greets her not with a sneer but rather a warm smile. She only lets go of James' hand when it becomes too difficult to butter toast with just the one. Peter, too, is more welcoming than she thought he would be. He pours her a cup of tea and engages her in polite conversation which Sirius interrupts several times to interject salacious comments whenever he deems necessary. She doesn't mind though and she talks back easily, her and James' shoulders pressed snugly together the entire time.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for reading and please leave a review and tell me what you think. I am totally aware that Lily coming across the map in the way she did this chapter is nothing original, I've seen it in many fics before but I love it so much I couldn't not do it!**

 **Thank you to all the new followers from last chapter as it is more than two times what we had before! Thanks again, as always to the lovely reviewers: Lanie, pigows, and Swagerrr101! I love the encouragement so much!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter.**

 _September 20_ _th_ _, 1976_

"Can anyone tell me what this potion here is?" Slughorn rumbles with a knowing smirk, his eyes dancing as they follow the steam spiraling from the cauldron in front of him. The dungeon is bustling with quiet whispers and giggles of students preoccupied with every other thought besides his lesson.

"Mr. Potter, could you tell me what you think this potion is?" He asks, his eyes alight with a desperate eagerness that seems to define him. James looks bored when his eyes shoot up from his exchange with Sirius. He pauses for a moment to study the cauldron before sighing as though he'd never been subject to a greater inconvenience. "Amortentia." He answers flatly.

"Oh very good, Mr. Potter! Ten points to Gryffindor! May I ask what it was that tipped you off?" Slughorn's enthusiasm is unwavering as he probes the young student with his signature sloppy grin plastered upon his sunken and sallow face. "Because you just set an essay on it." The classroom erupts in laughter and Slughorn scowls slightly but ultimately waves the comment off. "Now, I know that you will not be pleased to hear that I think it would be beneficial to split you off into assigned partners but—" His explanation is promptly met with a collective groan from the students. "Don't move seats until I've finished reading off assignments. Prewett and Snape," Alice's eyes bulge in alarm, a small whimper escapes her lips and Lily allows her an apologetic shrug. "Mulciber and Macdonald." Lily ground her teeth together at that one, was Slughorn doing this on purpose? "Stebbins and Wilkes, Avery and Lupin, Pettigrew and McKinnon…" Peter yelps and turns to face Remus beside him who levels him with a stern expression.

"Black and Evans, Alma and Gilmore…" Lily turns to playfully scowl at Sirius who wiggles his fingers at her flirtatiously only to be subsequently shoved by James. "Potter and Aubrey…"

"These are the worst possible assignments Professor, did you decide that you dressing up in elf garb during last year's Christmas party didn't do enough damage to our mental health—"

"Mr. Black, I'm appalled. You weren't even in attendance at that party and I distinctly recall my costume being a complete hit amongst students and professors alike. Now, off you go." He commands, evidently unfazed by Sirius' comments.

"Why are you complaining? You're the only one with a sane partner." James grumbles, pushing his things to the side to make room for Bertram Aubrey. Sirius shakes his head in mock anguish and joins Lily at the desk in front of him. "It'll be good for you, Potter." Lily turns to inform him wryly to which he rolls his eyes and his face scrunches unattractively as Aubrey slides into Sirius' recently vacated seat. "Potter." He greets curtly.

"There is a limited amount of unicorn hair so you'll have to make do, you won't be getting any more than your share so use it wisely. Supplies are in the back, you have one hour." Slughorn begins his rounds around the dungeon as the students begin to scramble to collect ingredients and light fires beneath their cauldrons.

Mary Macdonald sits on the left edge of her seat to allow as much space between her and Mulciber as possible. His large frame fills most of that space as he flips through Mary's book, bored. She scrapes her upper lip over her teeth uncomfortably as she begins the potion without his assistance, already falling behind the other sets of students only ten minutes into brewing.

"Black! It was just lilac a second ago, what did you do to it?" Lily barks irritably, emerald eyes locked upon the reddish hue inside the cauldron. "Evans, why I'm appalled that you would even begin to think that I am capable of causing that kind of mishap. I have done nothing besides sit here and look pretty." Sirius informs her proudly, leaning casually back in his chair. This earns him a menacing glower from the Head Girl. "You were supposed to be stirring the potion clockwise fifteen times while I crushed the lotus blossom!" She cries indignantly, snapping her head around to peer into Potter's and Aubrey's potion. This only makes her seething more vigorous, seeing as their potion was a perfect shade of lilac alike the description in the book.

"How are you doing that?" She sputters indelicately. Aubrey seems to be glowing with pride at her attention causing James to accidently drop his potions book on his hand. The Ravenclaw yelps in protest before clutching his hand to his chest, pouting petulantly at the redhead momentarily. She opens her mouth to scold James for his childish behavior but is distracted once again by her own potion boiling defiantly against her will.

Professor Slughorn hovers behind Alice and Snape, praising their potion fervently and awarding them each five points to their respective houses. The pair look uncomfortable under his gaze but they seem to be thriving quite nicely despite their obvious distaste for one another. Avery and Lupin are busing themselves over a deep purple potion, each taking turns pulling their eyes away to glare at their partner when they think the other will not notice.

The only pair in the room faring worse than Mary and Mulciber are Peter and Marlene, her brazen tone can be heard over the incessant clattering and bubbling around the room as she berates the boy for stewing beef broth rather than a love potion. "Time is up!" Slughorn coos as though he's speaking to his favorite grandchildren. "Stebbins! I said stop, put your ladle down! Everyone place your potions in the back, if you reached step seven as you should have your potions will simmer overnight and be ready for you to continue with tomorrow. For those of you behind… er… good luck."

The students park their cauldrons along the back of classroom and immediately duck away from their assigned partners, except for Sirius and Lily as she has yet to cease reprimanding him for his unhelpful behavior. "I'm top of the class, Black! I only have two hands, if you had helped me at all we would have a perfect potion but _no_. Sirius Black is much too pretty to be bothered to put work into anything! For the love of Merlin, even Potter's potion is better than ours!" Sirius ignores her tirade as she follows him around to meet his mates.

"I'll have you know, Evans, my father was the inventor of the Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. Potion brewing runs in my blood." James grumbles at Lily's attack on his potion. "I still think you're lying about that, Potter. I've yet to see any proof of that other than the unopened bottle of it on your night stand." She quips. "That's Sirius'." He says and she rolls her eyes. Sirius smirks, "How do you know what's on his nightstand?"

"Don't speak to me, Black." She barks turning away abruptly and rejoining her friends, her long red hair slapping him across the face as she does. Sirius picks at his lips in disgust, repeatedly pinching at his tongue. "She got her hair in my mouth." He scrunches his nose and continues his ministrations. "What did it get caught in your lip gloss?" James scoffs, earning a hearty laugh from Remus. Peter still looks deeply disturbed from his time with Marlene, refusing to meet any of their eyes. "Pete, you'll be okay. McKinnon has yet to kill anyone, although I must say I wouldn't be surprised if you were her first." Sirius says between twisting his tongue around to feel if the offending hair was still present.

* * *

"I haven't seen him since this afternoon, he said your hair gave him whiplash and he needed the hospital wing." James says, fighting to contain a laugh that threatened to escape his lips. "I need you to make sure he behaves tomorrow, I don't want a bad mark." Lily sighs, imploring him with her eyes and meaning to use their bright color to hypnotize him. "He can't be controlled." He chuckles as they round the corner to the entrance hall during their patrol. He stops short when he sees a dark figure crossing the space and grabs Lily's forearm to halt her beside him. "Who's that?" She whispers urgently to him, pulling her arms from his hard grip and shooting him a glare. "I don't know." He hisses.

"Well, are we going to just let him walk off? We're Head Boy and Girl, it's our duty to stop him." She starts after the man and James shuffles to stay at her side. "Duty? That's intense. And it's not a student, I want to see where he thinks he's going." He says, this time holding her back by her sleeve to keep a slow pace at his side. "Do you think that's a good idea? What if they're up to something bad?" She murmurs back but James is busy dragging her at a safe distance behind the man.

"He's going to the hospital wing." Lily furrows her brow at that tidbit. "How do you know that?" She asks. "I've taken this route plenty of times, I know where he's going." The man's hood slips from his head and falls back, revealing cropped bright red hair. James stops short and cocks his head slightly in thought. "That's Fabian Prewett. Or Gideon." He says and this only furthers Lily's confusion. "Who is Fabian Prewett?" She wonders aloud. "Or Gideon." He insists offhand and distracted. "James." She warns but he doesn't respond.

"Is he related to Alice?" She whispers as they peer around the doorway of the hospital wing. "Why would he be?" James responds, his eyes locked on the scene before him. "Her last name is Prewett." She grumbles as though he were the most unintelligent person she'd ever met. "She's a pureblood, Evans. They all have the same last name, doesn't mean they're any more related than a hippogriff and a grindylow." He says, still not paying attention to anything besides the Prewett brother leaning over one of the beds, flanked by Madame Pomfrey. "No one has your last name." She points out. "Well, what can I say, Evans? I'm special." She opens her mouth to say something but he shushes her.

"That's his twin. He's hurt." James sounds worried which takes Lily off guard. She wants to tell him they should stop this foolishness but she's interrupted by the gentle rumble of Professor Dumbledore behind them. "Perhaps it might be easier for you to continue your eavesdropping from inside, come along." He says but Lily grabs James' wrist and pulls him back into her. "I'm not going in there, James. This is none of our business, we've already made fools of ourselves sneaking about like children when we ought to be doing our jobs." James rolls his eyes. "Lily, something bad has happened and—"

"If you would prefer not join us that will be quite all right but I would like a word with the both of you, if you would be so kind as to wait in my office. Password is chocolate frogs." He turns gracefully to join the Prewett brothers and Madame Pomfrey inside, closing the door as he does.

"Lily! We had permission to listen in on whatever that was, why did you muck it up?" James grumbles at her, trying his best to ignore his nearly uncontainable urge to push her long hair from her face. "Because it feels wrong." She mutters and turns on her heel in the direction of the headmaster's office.

"I think Fabian—"

"Or Gideon." Lily interjects without looking back at him. James jogs to keep up with her brisk pace. "I think that they're a part of Dumbledore's secret society. The one fighting against Voldemort." James tells her as quietly as he can manage. "We don't even know if it exists, we just heard speculation from a group of Slytherins, who obviously would not be in the group. How should they know?" Lily shoots back. "Because they're sneaky." James presses dully. "So are your lot and you've never heard anything about it." She snaps, stopping short in front of the statue guarding Dumbledore's office. "Chocolate frogs." It twists to reveal a spiral staircase.

They shuffle into the chambers and Lily surveys the countless magical items strewn across the space. "I like what he's done with the place." She mutters to no one in particular. "No, you don't." James scoffs, jerking his chin towards the sorting hat atop a bookcase as a way of greeting. "Are you… friends with the sorting hat?" Lily asks him, her expression befuddled. "Sometimes we go out for firewhiskey and talk politics." He shrugs, Lily's about to retort but James waves her off. "I'm kidding, Evans."

She circles around Fawkes for a few moments before tentatively reaches a hand out to stroke his feathers. "He's beautiful." She whispers. "Have you ever seen one before?" She asks him. "A phoenix? Not besides him, although I must say he and I are almost as close as the sorting hat and I with the amount of visits we've had over the years." James says, coming beside her and scratching the side of the bird's face. It nuzzles its beak affectionately into his palm.

"Where did he get it?" Lily asks and James shrugs. "Dunno, reckon Hagrid had something to do with it though." She giggles at that and her eyes fall behind the headmaster's desk, locking on a series of glass vials lining a basin. "What's that?" She inquires, her irritation melting away into wonder. "I think I should just give you the grand tour of the place and get it done with, Lily." James chuckles. "Oh hush, just tell me what it is." His eyes scan over it momentarily and he shrugs. "It's a pensieve. It allows you to see people's memories, my dad has one. He has a library full of memories of when he's brewed potions so he can duplicate them or adjust them. I used them all the time when I was trying to brew something complicated." She aches in jealousy at that, how incredible would it be to have access to that sort of information?

"Ah, hello." Professor Dumbledore appears in the doorway. Lily stiffens and feels the sudden urge to apologize for snooping about his office. "Please sit down." He commands, gesturing warmly towards a pair of ornate chairs opposite his desk. James and Lily do as they're told, waiting for the headmaster to continue.

"I feel that I owe the two of you an explanation." He says and the head students share a confused look. Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkle at their exchange fondly. "I feel that as you both have been awarded positions of great leadership at this school, you also have the right to be aware of what's going on inside of it." James can sense Lily hardening at the sudden topic of conversation but Dumbledore does not seem to notice and if he does, he makes no indication. "I regret to inform you that the war has found its way with within Hogwarts' walls, students are being influenced by the allure of the dark magic threatening to overtake our world. Many have, as I'm sure you have feared, become seduced by the power of Voldemort." Dumbledore pauses to allow Lily a moment to wince at the name, James' expression is unwavering.

"You questioned my decision in appointing you Head Boy, you even went as far to write me a letter to inform me that I was… what was it? 'Off my rocker'?" James blushes at the memory and Lily fights a smile at the bashful look on his face. "I am happy to inform you I am, in fact, not 'off my rocker' and stand completely behind my decision." James' eyebrows raise into his hairline at this assessment but makes no move to contradict him.

"You seem to possess resources that the rest of the students here do not, you have ways of knowing what transpires in these halls that even I do not. You vehemently oppose the dark arts and while your moral standards are interesting," Lily snorts and tries to play it off as clearing her throat when she finds herself leveled with Dumbledore's stern gaze. "They are true and honest. I believe that all of these traits combined with your talent for trouble will put you in a position to protect the students in ways that I believe will change the outcome of the war." James blinks a few too many times in amazement, processing Dumbledore's speech. He chances a look in Lily's direction and finding an encouraging smile rather than a mocking one. "I agree." She tells him softly.

"I don't think anyone ever questioned my appointing of you Miss Evans, you are extraordinarily talented and level-headed. I feel that your kind nature will offset Mr. Potter's impulsive behavior and the pair of you, I imagine will make me immensely proud." He pauses briefly. "With that being said, I have a task for you. I require a complex potion that I have on good authority you have successfully brewed in the past, Mr. Potter. I am unsure if he has shared his talent for potions with Miss Evans but I assure you it's there. I also understand that Miss Evans is top of her class when it comes to Potions so I ask that you work together on this." Lily makes no effort to cloud her confused look, it was ironic that James was just mentioning using his father's work to brew complex potions and here they were discussing it.

"Which potion, Professor?" James asks, uneasy. The headmaster smiles serenely. "It's funny you should ask which one, implying that you've brewed more than one advanced potion under my nose." Professor Dumbledore grins but James seems unfazed by this revelation. "Polyjuice potion. I am quite dreadful at brewing potions myself and I fear if I asked other individuals I will be bombarded with questions I cannot provide answers to. Are you both agreeable?" He asks and Lily shrugs slowly as though she's only slightly sure she wants to be involved. "Okay." James responds and Professor Dumbledore nods thoughtfully. "You may use the room of requirement on the seventh floor, you will find everything you need there. I will be in touch with you soon." With that he shuffles around his desk and urges them down the stairs. They find themselves at the bottom of the stairs, bewildered and locked in place.

"What just happened?" Lily asks and James ponders for a moment. "I have no idea."

* * *

"Why would he want you to brew him polyjuice potion? That doesn't even make sense. He's surrounded by talented witches and wizards, what's he doing messing about with a couple of students who haven't even completed school yet?" Sirius hisses. They were in the Gryffindor common room which was long deserted save for Sirius Black, considering it was nearly two in the morning.

"I wouldn't try out for the quidditch team with a poster like that." Lily grumbles at James as he hangs try-out forms on the bulletin board, they were hand-written in a messy scrawl that would put even a chicken to shame. James waves her comment off easily and she scowls.

"He knows we brewed it third year, Padfoot and he says if he asks someone else they might go sniffing around." He reasons and is promptly met by a very unladylike snort from Lily. "I think it's not so much that he needs a potion as much as he wants to know if he can rely on us. And it's safe to say he can't since we've already managed to relay the information to the school's biggest gossip within an hour of the task being set to us."

"I told you that you didn't have to come, Evans." James grunts, not making eye contact with her and turning to face Sirius. "We can start tomorrow, I have meeting with the prefects at seven but we'll have plenty of time after." James tells him and Lily's mouth drops open. "Potter! We can manage just fine, we don't need _Black's_ help." She cries indignantly and James rolls his eyes. "No, Evans. Sirius and I will brew it, we've done it before. There's no reason for you to get involved, it'll just lead to Dumbledore asking for more from you and you'll get hurt." He doesn't have the decency to meet her eyes as he says this.

" _There's no reason for me to get involved?_ How about the fact that I was the one he asked not Black! He can't even manage to stir a potion, how is he going to help you with one of the most complex potions there is? What brought this on anyhow, hmm? Just a moment ago you were completely fine with this!" She's raising her voice now and they make an immediate effort to shush her. "Evans! You'll wake up the whole tower with your screaming! And I'll have you know I'm an exceptional stirrer of things!" Sirius all but barks at her.

"Butt out, Black. This doesn't concern you." Lily says and James grits his teeth. "Fine, Evans, we'll brew it together like Dumbledore said but when he asks us to drink it and play Death Eater to get information from his inner circle don't come crying to me about not wanting to do it!" James whispers angrily at her and she throws her arms up in exasperation. "He won't ask us to do that! We're not even seventeen!" She shoots back and is met with laughter that she has a suspicious feeling isn't genuine.

"Oh please, Lily, Voldemort is recruiting underage wizards so why can't Dumbledore? He's trying to get ahead of the game and it starts with us." He says matter-of-factly. "Recruiting—" Sirius starts to ask but Lily interrupts him. "Well, I assure you if that's what he asks me to do I am not too delicate to do so. Stop acting like I'm weak!" She growls venomously. "I never said you were!" James is shouting now.

"Shut up!" Sirius erupts like a once dormant volcano. "I thought you both were done attacking each other last year!" Lily opens her mouth to say something. "No, it's fine. Lily you want to work on the potion with me so we will, tomorrow after the meeting." James concedes, clearly still upset but deciding the fight was not worth risking years of effort put into her not completely despising him.

She stands there momentarily twisting her lips in anger, deciding whether she like this response but ultimately says nothing and stomps out through the portrait hole with James trailing irritably behind her. Sirius stands there confused, sputtering questions that go unanswered as the pair leave him without so much as a second glance.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for reading and PLEASE leave a review! I love it so much when I hear from you guys and it makes me want to write more! Sorry, this took a while to get out but I don't really have an excuse for that. Also, I am going back through and updating some of my old chapters to correct some grammar mistakes, I've done chapter one so far. It really bothered me that there were so many apparent mistakes but when you proofread right after you've finished writing a chapter you're so familiar with the wording you don't always notice them. Thanks for your patience and much love to you guys! I've also started a new fic centralized on Harry discovering his parents' past and an another adventure of his own so feel free to check that out if you'd like, I will continue updating this fic though so don't worry I will not abandon it! Once again, let me know what you think and happy Monday!**


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